In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day, later to become Veterans Day, with the following words: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…"

Today, America honors those who served their fellow countrymen through its armed services. The ranks of DCA’s employers are fortunate to have many veterans bringing their skills and dedication to the jobsite and office. As we continue to address our workforce challenges, skilled veterans seeking to return to civilian life are an opportunity to strengthen your team and there are several non-profit organizations whose mission is to help you do just that.

AGC of America has joined forces with the national Hiring Our Heroes program. This partnership makes it easier for construction contractors to find, recruit and hire veterans. You can learn more about available programs by listening to this webinar. To date, more than 617,000 veterans and military spouses have obtained employment opportunities through Hiring Our Heroes events.

Two other great resources to help contractors connect with skilled veterans are Build Your Future and Helmets to Hardhats. BYF provides service members with NCCER credentials for the training they already received in the military and provides contractors with an outline of each MOS code, the equivalent NCCER training and a description of training the veteran still needs as they enter the industry. Helmets to Hardhats connects transitioning active-duty military service members, veterans, National Guard and Reservists with skilled training and quality career opportunities in the construction industry.

With more than 200,000 service members returning to civilian life each year, the opportunities to find a highly skilled veteran employee for your company is strong. In fact, 15.5% of all veterans enter the construction industry. Today, approximately 666,400 veterans work in the construction and extraction occupation.

There is no better way to remember and honor the sacrifice of veterans than for DCA’s members to continue to welcome them into our industry.